Flow control apparatus

ABSTRACT

Flow control apparatus including a valve, choke or other flow control element adapted to be seated and unseated in a well pipe, wherein means are provided for moving the flow control element longitudinally into position adjacent to but out of sealing contact with a port in the well pipe to be closed, and thereafter laterally into sealing contact with the well pipe around the port.

PATENTED JUN 1 ml SHEEI 2 BF 3 INVEN'TOR. Myra/7 M ///'nA y BY FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of this invention is flow control apparatus such as valve and chokes for controlling fluid flow in a well pipe.

In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,607, flow control apparatus is disclosed wherein a valve or choke element is moved into potion laterally as it moves longitudinally, with the result that the seal ring on the closure element is sometimes damaged during the seating thereof. In other instances, the extent of lateral movement of the closure element is insufficient to form an adequate seal for holding the relatively high pressures often encountered in wells.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a flow control apparatus including a valve, choke or other closure element adapted to be seated and unseated in a well pipe. The flow control element is moved longitudinally downwardly in the well pipe to position it opposite to a port in the well pipe but out of sealing contact with the well pipe. Thereafter, the flow control element is moved laterally to engage the flow control element in sealing contact with the well pipe. Since the seal is normally accom plished with an O-ring or similar resilient sealing element on the flow control element, damaging contact of the sealing element with the well pipe during longitudinal movement is avoided. Also, an effective seal even for high pressures can be made by reason of such movement in essentially only a lateral direction for making the sealing contact.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, illustrating the apparatus of this invention in a string of tubing;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded view illustrating a portion of the apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a enlarged sectional view illustrating the lower portion of the running in tool, with the flow control element in position opposite to, but out of sealing contact with the area of the well pipe or tubing around an opening or port therein;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating the flow control element in the sealing position, with the running in tool detached therefrom;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view, illustrating the shearing of a plug on a relief port in the flow control element for equalizing fluid pressure internally and externally of the tubing string prior to the removal of the flow control element; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, but illustrating the apparatus in a position for removal from the tubing string, and after the relief or equalizing port has been opened.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the drawings, the letter A designates generally the apparatus of this invention which is adapted to be run into a well pipe or tubing string P having a special section or sub P therein. The apparatus A includes any suitable running-in tool T, an example of which is illustrated in detail in U.S.- Pat. No. 3,353,607. As will be explained more in detail, the apparatus A includes a flow control element 10 which is adapted to be lowered into the well pipe or tubing string P on the running-in tool T and is ultimately positioned for closing off and sealing an opening or port 12 in the tubing or pipe section P (FIG. 1.

The section or sub P is normally of a larger diameter than the rest of the pipe or tubing in the string P so as to provide a full open bore through the section or sub P for the normal running of tools therethrough without interference by the construction of the sub itself. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, the sub or section P has a liner or sleeve 15 therein which is welded, in tegral, or is otherwise secured to the tubular portion 16 of the section P;

The top of the liner 15 is tapered, as shown at 17 (FIG. 1), and the lower part of the taper 17 is provided with a keyway or slot 18 extending a short distance downwardly, and terminating in a lateral stop or shoulder 18a. Such taper 17 guides an orienting finger or detent 19 so that the tool T and the apparatus A therewith are properly aligned with respect to the port or opening 12, as will be more evident hereinafter. A longitudinal slot 20 is formed in the liner 15 a short distance below the lateral shoulder 18a, and such longitudinal slot has substantially vertically extending walls 20a, a potion of which are illustrated in FIG. 2. The walls 20a merge with tapered guide walls 21a therebelow which walls 21a define a tapered portion 21 below the slot 20. Such slot walls 210 are not only tapered towards each other (FIG. 2), but they also are inclined at an angle downwardly and outwardly for a wedging action to be hereinafter explained. The lower portion of the tapered slot 21 terminates in a stop or shoulder 22, and preferably the inner portion of the lower end of the slot 21 is closed or covered by a solid segment 22a forming part of the liner 15. A small drain hole 22b through the segment 22a prevents sand from collecting on the shoulder 22. It is to be noted that the tapered slot potion 21 is aligned with the port or opening 12.

The flow control element is provided with an external or outer surface 10a which is curved so as to conform with the inner curved cylindrical surface 16a of the tubular portion 16. The rear surface 10!: of the element 10 may be similarly curved, but preferably the rear surface 10b is flat so that it may engage and slide relative to a wedge member 30 (FIG. 2).

The wedge member 30 has a flat or straight surface 300 which is adapted to be engaged by the rear surface 10b of the flow control element 10. During the running-in of the apparatus A, the element 10 is connnected to the lower portion of the wedge member 30by one or more shear pins 31 which extend through suitable openings 10c in the element 10 and 30b in the wedge member 30. After the pins 31 are sheared, the wedge member 30 moves relatively to the element 10 for wedging same laterally outwardly from the position shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, as will be more evident hereinafter.

The flat surface 300 forms the inner wall of a recess 30c which is of the same shape and size as the upper portion of the element 10 so that when the wedge member 30 is fully collapsed with respect to the element 10, the element 10 fits within such recess 30c (FIG. 4). The wedge member 30 has a longitudinal slot 30d extending through the wall 30a and through which extends a plug or head 32a of a relief or equalization port element 32. The port element 32 may be suitably connected to the element 10 by threading same into a threaded opening 10d, in the element 10, or by otherwise suitably securing the element 32 through the wall of the element 10. The head 32a is of a larger diameter than the width of the slot 30d, 1 but main body portion 32b of the plug 32 is slightly smaller than such slot 30d so that when relative movement between the flow control element 10 and the wedge member 30 occurs, the head 32a is behind the slot or opening 30d in a track 30h, and the narrower body portion 32b is in such slot 30d. A small relief or equalization port 320 in the port element 32 is closed by the head or plug 32a until it is sheared or otherwise removed. To facilitate a shearing of such plug or head 32a, in annular groove 32d (FIG. 4) is provided in the head 32a.

The wedge member 30 preferably has lower tapered and inclined guide surfaces 30e on each side thereof which conform with the taper and the angle of the guide surfaces 21a so that as the wedge member 30 is moved longitudinally downwardly in the slot 21 after the shear pins 31 have been severed, the wedge member 30 is forced to move laterally outwardly from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG,. 6, and ultimately, the wedge member 30 seats within the slot 20 and the slot 21 so that it essentially forms the portion of the cylinder 15 which has been removed for the purpose of forming such slot 21 and a portion of the slot 20 thereabove. The guide surfaces 302 merge with upper inclined surfaces 30fof the wedge member 30 (FIG. 2) which correspond in direction and angle to the surfaces 20a of the slot 20. Normally such surfaces 20a and 30f are radial and substantially vertical, but the space between the surfaces 20a must be large enough at the upper end of the slot 20 so that the wedge member 30 may be moved laterally into the slot 20 during the initial positioning of same, as will be more fully explained. Therefore, the lower portion of the slot 20 just above the slot 21 may be narrower in width so that the surfaces 30f may engage and slide thereon as the wedge member 30 moves downwardly.

The wedge member 30 has one or more openings 30g or receiving shear pins 35 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 4) which serve to releasably connect the wedge member 30 to a pivoted carrier lever 38 on the running-in tool T. Such shear pins 35 are stronger than the shear pins 31 so that a downward jarring force will initially shear the pins 31 for the setting of the flow control element 10, and a subsequent jarring force ofa greater amount is required for releasing the tool T from the wedge member 30. I

It should be noted that the flow control element is provided with an O-ring or seal ring 14 formed of rubber or other resilient material. Such ring 14 is positioned on the outer surface 10a of the element 10, and a suitable groove for receiving the seal ring 14 may be provided. The seal ring 14 is of such dimensions that it completely surrounds the opening 12 when it is in the final seated position (FIGS. 4 and 6). One object of the present invention is to prevent damage to such seal 14 during the positioning of the element 10 with respect to the port or opening 12 in the sidewall of the tubing string T. It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the location of the seal ring 14 on the element 10 since the seal ring 14 may be on the pipe 16 surrounding the opening 12. In either case, longitudinal movement between the element 10 and the well pipe or tubular portion 16 when there is substantial engagement between the seal ring 14 and the inside surface of the tubular portion 16 isavoided so as to prevent damage to the seal ring 14 when moving same into sealing contact.

Although the tool T is merely illustrative, and the details thereof may be seen in said US. Pat. No. 3,353,607 such tool T should include the carrier 38 which is longitudinally aligned with the pivoted orienting lever 19 so that when the orienting lever 19 is in the longitudinal slot 18, the flow control element 10 is disposed in alignment with the slots 20, 21. The carrier lever 38 is pivoted at 3811 and it is urged radially or laterally by a spring 40 or other suitable resilient means. Until the orienting lever 19 has been positioned in the keyway or slot 18 as shown in FIG. 1, the lever 38 is held in a retracted position, with the spring 40 under compression, so that the lower end of the element 10 is disposed inwardly of the outer edge 41 (FIG. 1 and FIG. 3) below a slot 42 formed in the lower portion of the tool T. Such retention of the lever 38 is accomplished in the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1 by means of a tapered cam surface 43 which engages a similarly tapered latch surface 38b on the upper end of the lever 38 (FIG. 1). In FIG. 1, the latch surface 38b is shown positioned below the cam surface 43 after the lever 38 has been moved downwardly relative to the cam surface 43. During the running-in of the tool T the latch surface 38b is maintained in contact with the cam surface 43 by any suitable means such as a shear pin 45 which extends through a body portion 46 and a slidable rod 47. Therefore, after the orienting lever 19 is in position in the keyway 18, a downward movement of the rod 47 shears the pin 45 and permits the body portion 49 on the rod 47 to move downwardly relative to the body portion 46, thereby moving the latch surface 38b below the cam surface 43. When the cam surface 43 is thus out of engagement with the latch surface 38b, the resilient spring 40 urges the carrier lever 38 towards the slots and 21. The lower end of the flow control element 10 is high enough with respect to the slots 20 and 21 so that it may enter the slot 20 and perhaps a portion of the upper part of the slot 21, so that thereafter, upon a downward movement of the rod 47, the element 10 is guided in the slot 21 until it reaches the stop surface 22 at the lower end of the slot 21. Although the seal ring 14 may lightly contact the inside surface of the tubular portion 16 of the special tubing section P during the lowering thereof, there is no damaging or sealing contact between such seal ring 14 and the inside of the tubular portion of the pipe 16. Therefore, damage to the seal 14 is prevented during the longitudinal lowering of the element 10. The wedge element 30 and the flow control element 10 move downwardly together as the rod 47 is lowered so that both move downwardly in the slots 20 and 21, but only a small portion of the wedge 30 enters the slot 21 while the shear pins 31 are engaged. When the lower end of the element 10 engages the stop shoulder 22, a continued downward force on the rod 47, ofjarring thereon with suitable link jars or other jars (not shown) connected to the tool T in a conventional manner, are utilized for shearing such pins 31. After the pins 31 are sheared, the rod 47 may move downwardly while the element 10 remains fixed longitudinally, but spaced out of sealing contact withthe inside surface of the pipe portion 16 (FIGS. 3 and 5). The wedge member 30 then slides downwardly and the surfaces 30e and 21a coact to cause a wedging or a lateral outward movement of the member 30 to tightly wedge the element 10 into sealing contact with the inside surface of the well pipe portion 16 (FIGS. 4 and 6).

After the element 10 is seated in the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, a continued downward movement of the rod 47, including jarring with suitable jars connected above the tool T, may be utilized for shearing the pin or pins 35 to thereby disconnect the carrier lever 38 from the wedge member 30. The tool T preferably has a release cam 50 which may be urged downwardly by a spring 51 for engagement with a tapered upper latch surface 190 on the orienting lever 19 to effect a retraction of the lower portion of lever 19 from the keyway 18 to facilitate withdrawal of the tool T from the well. However, the spring 51 may be omitted, and the rod 47 may be simply lowered so that the cam 50 engages such latch surface 19a to effect the retraction of the lever 19. The tool T may be lowered on a wire line or any other suitable support and, as previously noted it would normally include with the wire line, an ordinary link jar or any other known type ofjar of conventional construction for accomplishing the shearing of the various shear pins in the apparatus at the times desired during the operation thereof.

In some instances, it is desirable to remove the flow control element 10 from the position covering the opening or port 12. For example, should the opening or port 12 be located in the pipe string above a packer, it may be desirable to open the port 12 for circulating fluid from the annulus around the tubing string through the port 12 to the inside of the tubing or pipe string P to kill the well or perform another operation. Also, in some instances, it is desirable to provide an orifice in the flow control element 10 for regulating gas flow from the annulus into the tubing or pipe string P. With the present invention, the size of the orifice may be changed without pulling the tubing string, by simply replacing the flow control element 10 with the desired size of orifice therein.

Additionally, the present invention provides the equalizing port 32c for equalizing the pressure in the annulus and in the tubing string P prior to opening the port 12 to its full extend. Such equalization prevents a surge of gas pressure from the annulus into the tubing string which might cause tools and other devices within the tubing spring P to be blown upwardly therein which could result in a costly fishing job. The equalizing port 320 of the apparatus A eliminates that problem. In FIGS. 7 and 8, one form of apparatus R is illustrated for the removal of the plug or closure head 32!: to open the port 32c for such equalizing of the pressure internally and externally of the tubing or pipe string P. It will be appreciated that the tool R with is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 is merely illustrative. The tool R has a body and it is adapted to be lowered on a wire line or other suitable support (not shown). The body 70 may be provided with a recess 70a for receiving a laterally disposed retrieving latch 72 having an upper surface 72a which is adapted to engage within a recess 75 within the rear portion of the wedge member 30. The latch member 72 is urged outwardly by spring 73 or other suitable resilient means disposed in the recess 7011. A pin 72b fits within a slot 720 to limit the extent of the movement of the member 72.

The retrieving tool R also has some means such as a'sliding shoe 80 which is resiliently urged outwardly by springs 81 or other resilient means in a direction opposite to that of the latch member 72. The member 80 engages the inside wall of the pipe P and the liner 15 as it slides relatively thereto. Suitable retaining pins 80a fit within guide slots 80b to control the extent of movement of the sliding shoe 80.

A shearing button or knife 85 if carried by the body 70 below the latch member 72 and it is adapted to be guided in a track 30h in the wedge 30 so that it engages the head or button 32a for shearing same off at the shear groove 32d prior to the time the latch member 72 reaches the upper end of the wedge member 3.0 (FIG. 7). Such shearing may require a downward force imparted by suitable jars on the upper end of the tool R since the tool R may also be lowered on a wire line with a suitable link jars or other conventional jars with the wire line. After the head or button 320 is severed (FIG. 8) the equalizing port 32c is opened to establish communication between the interior and exterior of the tubing string or well pipe P for slowly equalizing the pressure therebetween prior to the opening of the port or opening 12.

A continued downward movement of the retrieving tool R is continued until the member 72 reaches a point opposite the groove or recess 75 in the wedge member 30. When the latch member 72 is thus engaged in the pocket or recess 75, the tool R is pulled upwardly so as to pull the wedge member 30 upwardly. The portion of the plug 32 which remains with the flow control element 10 serves to engage the lower portion of the slot 30d as the wedge member 30 is pulled upwardly relative to the member 10 so that upon such engagement, the element 10 is lifted upwardly with the wedge member 30. To assure that the member 10 remains with the member 30 during such retrieval, the walls of the recess 300 (F 105. 5 and 6) and the corresponding edges le (FIG. 2) of the member 10 may be dove-tailed, and also the portion of the plug 32 remaining after shearing same at 3211 still confines the plug 32 in the track 30h, so that the member 10 is securely locked to the member 30, even though slidable relative thereto.

Thus, the element 10 may be readily removed with the retrieving tool R, and subsequently another element 10 may be lowered in the same manner as heretofore described, using a running in tool T.

The operation or use of the apparatus of this invention thus involves a running in of the apparatus A on a suitable tool such as the tool T which is preferably lowered on a wire line. The tool T is automatically oriented by means of the orienting lever 19 which fits within e keyway 18 after being guided to such position by the tapered guide surface 17. When the' tool T has thus been oriented, the apparatus A which includes the control element 10 is dispose opposite the longitudinal slot 20. Thereafter, upon a downward movement of the rod 47, the pin 45 is sheared to cause the spring 40 to move the apparatus A towards the inside surface of the liner l and through the slot 20. Continued downward movement of the rod 47 causes the element 110 to move downwardly in the slot 21 and ultimately to seat on the stop surface 22. Upon engagement of the lower end of the element on the surface 22, a downward movement of the rod 47 is effected with sufficient force to shear the pins 31 and thereafter the wedge member 30 moves downwardly relative to the flow control element 10. The seal ring 14 does not engage the inside surface of the member 16 with sufficient force to cause any damage to the seal ring 14 during the lowering movement of the element 10 to the position opposite the port or opening 12. The wedge 30 accomplishes a lateral movement of the flow control element 10 from theposition shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 to the positions shown in F168. 4 and 6 without any appreciable longitudinal movement of the element 10 so that there is no damaging longitudinal movement between the seal ring 14 and the inside surface of the pipe 16 when the ring 14 is being seated in sealing contact around the port or opening 12.

5 After the wedge member 30 has been firmly wedged into position to effect a tight sealing engagement between the seal ring 14 and the inside surface 16a of the tubular portion of the pipe 16, the tool T may be disconnected by a downward shearing of the shear pin 35, and thereafter, the tool T may be moved upwardly so as to leave the apparatus A in the well pipe for subsequent operations without the presence of the tool T. lt will be understood that the flow control element 10 may have an orifice or choke therein (not shown) or it may be completely closed except for the equalizing port element 32, as illustrated in the drawings and as previously explained.

Subsequently, the flow control element 10 may be retrieved using the retrieving tool R or any other suitable tool. The pressure internally and externally of the pipe string P is initially 2O equalized by shearing off the head or plug 32a from the port element 32, as illustrated in P16. 7 and 8, and then the full opening of the port 12 is obtained by pulling the element 10 upwardly and out of the string P. The element 10 may be replaced and removed as many times as desired, without pulling the string P.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape, and materials as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1 claim: I

1. Flow control apparatus forcontrolling the flow of fluid through a port in a sub located in a well pipe, comprising:

a flow control element adapted to cover the port in the sub;

means having connection with said flow control element for longitudinally moving said flow control element into a seated position adjacent to the port in the sub but out of sealing contact with the wall of the sub; and

means in the well pipe and coacting with said last-mentioned means for moving said flow control element essentially only laterally into sealing contact with the wall of the sub to seal around said port after reaching said seated position.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said flow control element includes;

a relief port through the flow control element and having a removable head closing said relief port which is adapted to be removed to open the relief port.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1, including:

resilient means on the external surface of said flow control element for effecting said sealing contact between said flow control element and said wall of said sub.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1, including:

a resilient seal ring mounted on said flow control element for surrounding the port in the sub for effecting said sealing contact between said flow control element and said well pipe.

5. Flow control apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid through the sidewall of a string of tubing in a well, comprising:

a section of tubing adapted to be made up with the string and having an opening in its sidewall;

a flow control element having a seal therewith adapted to cover and seal around said opening;

said section being formed with a longitudinally extending slot and having an open upper end and longitudinally extending guide walls therebelow; and

a wedge member adapted to cooperate with said flow control element and the walls of said slot for forcing said flow control element laterally after said flow control element is in said slot for effecting a sealing around said opening with said seal.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5, including:

a lowering tool for lowering said wedge member and said flow control element in the tubing for positioning the flow control element in said slot and for urging said wedge member downwardly along said walls of said slot and relative to said flow control element after said element is in said slot.

7. The structure set forth in claim 6, including:

a retrieving tool for engaging and lifting said flow control element to retrieve same from the tubing.

8. The structure set forth in claim 5, wherein said flow control element has a relief port therein for equalizing pressure externally and internally of the tubing prior to removing said element from the opening, and including:

a shearable closure plug over said relief port which is adapted to be sheared to open said relief port.

9. The structure set forth in claim 5, wherein:

said slot has a stop shoulder at the bottom for receiving the lower end ofsaid flow control element;

the lower portions of said guide walls are tapered towards each other and at a downward and outward angle; and

said wedge member has guide surfaces corresponding in taper and angle to said guide walls.

10. The structure set forth in claim 9, including:

shearable connecting means connecting said flow control element to the lower end of said wedge member and adapted to be sheared when the lower end of said flow control element engages said stop shoulder so that thereafter said wedge member moves downwardly relative to said element for effecting said forcing of said element laterally for sealing around said opening with said seal. 

1. Flow control apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid through a port in a sub located in a well pipe, comprising: a flow control element adapted to cover the port in the sub; means having connection with said flow control element for longitudinally moving said flow control element into a seated position adjacent to the port in the sub but out of sealing contact with the wall of the sub; and means in the well pipe and coacting with said last-mentioned means for moving said flow control element essentially only laterally into sealing contact with the wall of the sub to seal around said port after reaching said seated position.
 2. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said flow control element includes; a relief port through the flow control element and having a removable head closing said relief port which is adapted to be removed to open the relief port.
 3. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: resilient means on the external surface of said flow control element for effecting said sealing contact between said flow control element and said wall of said sub.
 4. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: a resilient seal ring mounted on said flow control element for surrounding the port in the sub for effecting said sealing contact between said flow control element and said well pipe.
 5. Flow control apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid through the sidewall of a string of tubing in a well, comprising: a section of tubing adapted to be made up with the string and having an opening in its sidewall; a flow control element having a seal therewith adapted to cover and seal around said opening; said section being formed with a longitudinally extending slot and having an open upper end and longitudinally extending guide walls therebelow; and a wedge member adapted to cooperate with said flow control element and the walls of said slot for forcing said flow control element laterally after said flow control element is in said slot for effecting a sealing around said opening with said seal.
 6. The structure set forth in claim 5, including: a lowering tool for lowering said wedge member and said flow control element in the tubing for positioning the flow control element in said slot and for urging said wedge member downwardly along said walls of said slot and relative to said flow control element after said element is in said slot.
 7. The structure set forth in claim 6, including: a retrieving tool for engaging and lifting said flow control element to retrieve same from the tubing.
 8. The structure set forth in claim 5, wherein said flow control element has a relief port therein for equalizing pressure externally and internally of the tubing prior to removing said element from the opening, and including: a shearable closure plug over said relief port which is adapted to be sheared to open said relief port.
 9. The structure set forth in claim 5, wherein: said slot has a stop shoulder at the bottom for receiving the lower end of said flow control element; the lower portions of said guide walls are tapered towards each other and at a downward and outward angle; and said wedge member has guide surfaces corresponding in taper and angle to said guide walls.
 10. The structure set forth in claim 9, including: shearable connecting means connecting said flow control element to the lower end of said wedge member and adapted to be sheared when the lower end of said flow control Element engages said stop shoulder so that thereafter said wedge member moves downwardly relative to said element for effecting said forcing of said element laterally for sealing around said opening with said seal. 